Apple users everywhere are in luck, as Apple has 117 new emojis lined up for 2020. The added icons include almost 60 new emojis created in an attempt to be more gender and racially inclusive. There are also 62 newly added object-based emojis such as a toothbrush, a boba drink, and many new animals like a beaver and a wooly mammoth. 

“I don’t mind emojis at all, and I use them most of the time. I think they’re great at lightening the mood when texting,“ said Josh Asturias (‘23).

  The recent surge of more politically correct emojis includes the 138 gender-neutral emojis added last year. It is likely that even more are to come as many people are excited to see the tech sector strive for even more inclusivity. 

“I think it’s great that they’re doing this because it allows more people to be represented when using technology,” said Asturias. 

Many non-human images were added as well, some of which we probably thought existed already. For example, emojis of things like trucks, blueberries, and sandals are some pretty common daily objects not introduced before this update. 

“I find emojis help my friends understand my tone in the text. If they already know me, they can understand what I’m trying to say and how. I think more inclusive emojis can help more people be able to express themselves,“ said Ella Hodges (‘22).

New emojis offer a lot of adaptability in terms of expressing yourselves and can help make your messages more personal. As text becomes a bigger part of people’s lives, the ever-expanding library of emojis will become more and more prevalent in everyday life.